Bridlington

Where much of East Yorkshire rolls inland through wolds and farmland, Bridlington faces the other way, out to the North Sea, and the town has built its whole character around that. This is a working seaside resort in the old-fashioned sense: a wide harbour, a long stretch of sand, and a promenade that still does brisk trade in ice creams and amusements. It feels distinct from the quieter villages further along the coast and from the agricultural towns inland, having grown up around fishing and then holidaymaking rather than farming or market trade.

Most visitors base themselves in the town's guest houses and small hotels, and there are plenty to choose from, among them Malvern Guest House, Manor Court Hotel, Maryland Bed and Breakfast and Mon Fort Guesthouse, along with Marton Grange Country House for something a little grander. For those who'd rather stay under canvas or in a static van, Park Rose Village, Grange Getaway, High Easton Farm and Viking Garth Hideaways all sit within reach of the coast.

The beaches are the main draw, and Bridlington has several distinct ones: the main Bridlington Beach with its promenade and amusements, and quieter stretches at Fraisthorpe Beach and Wilsthorpe Beach just outside town. Danes Dyke Beach, tucked below wooded cliffs, is a different kind of spot altogether, more sheltered and less crowded. A short drive north brings you to RSPB Bempton Cliffs, one of the best places in the country to watch seabirds nesting on chalk cliffs above the sea, while inland Woldgate Trekking and Livery Centre offers a way to see the surrounding countryside from horseback. For something more offbeat, Pot a Doodle Doo runs pottery painting sessions, and the Flamborough Fire Festival brings a different kind of spectacle to the coast.

What sets Bridlington apart from the rest of East Yorkshire is this concentration of seaside life in one place: the beaches, the harbour, the clifftop birdlife just up the coast, and a town that has organised itself entirely around making the most of them. It's a straightforward, well-stocked base for a coastal break, with the wolds and market towns of the wider county left for another day.